Women Who Sit Too Much Have Higher Breast Cancer Risk

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Too much time spent sitting at work and during off hours may
increase women's risk of breast and endometrial cancer, a new
study from Sweden suggests.

Researchers analyzed information from more than 29,000 Swedish
women ages 25 to 64 who did not have cancer at the study's start.
The women were followed for about 25 years.

Study subjects were divided into three groups: those who had a
sedentary job (such as working in an office) and did not
participant in recreational sports, those who had a sedentary job
but did participate in sports (such as running and handball), and
those who had a physically active jobs that required more
standing up (such as being a teacher) and also participated in
recreational sports.

Women who were not active at their work or in their leisure time
were 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with endometrial
cancer (a cancer of the uterus lining), and also 2.4 times more
likely to be diagnosed with
breast cancer before menopause, compared with those who were
active at their jobs and in their leisure time. There was no link
between inactivity and an increased risk of breast cancer after
menopause. [ 5
Tips for Sitting Less During Your Work Day ]

People who work in offices can do small things throughout the day
to reduce their siting time, such as getting up for coffee or
walking to work, said Anna Johnsson, one of the authors of the
study and a physical therapist at Lund University in Sweden.

The findings agree with previous studies that have found a link
between inactivity and cancer risk. A
2014 study found that every two-hour increase in the amount
of time spent sitting per day was linked with a 10 percent
increase in women's risk of endometrial cancer and an 8 percent
increase in people's risk of colon cancer.

And a 2011 study estimated that being inactive was linked to as
many as 49,000 cases of breast cancer each year in the United
States. (There are about 230,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed
yearly in the United States, according to the National Cancer
Institute.)Some studies have suggested that taking short breaks
throughout the day to move around reduces levels of molecules in
the blood that are linked with cancer risk.

The new study was presented this week at the meeting of the
American Association for Cancer Research in Philadelphia.